Harrisburg — April 3, 2017 — Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) said that nearly $1 million in PAsmart Initiative Grants were awarded to various pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs in Philadelphia.

“These grants are incredibly important in our community because they train well-qualified candidates for long-term family sustaining jobs,” Tartaglione said.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry awarded the grants through Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDBs).

Tartaglione has been working to ensure that Pennsylvanians have access to quality jobs and that workers are fairly compensated. The senator is the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 1044 which would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024.

“There is nothing more important to me than my community – and a skilled, well qualified workforce employed in quality jobs helps create a stable, prosperous community,” Tartaglione said.